Mechanism for utilizing secondary movements arising on running vehicles



April 22, 1952 Z. MAAR MECHANISM FOR UTILIZING SECONDARY MOVEMENTS ARISING ON RUNNING VEHICLES Filed Sept. 27, 1947 a a if 0 d5 .23!

2; 0 5 19 a! w 24 A j u L j 54 3 3 1 33 y 1 4 i y A Il/ j K II m n j P J7 I I I I l 177 JN EA/TOIP; Zwo/vm' fig Patented Apr. 22, 1952 MECHANISM FOR UTILIZING SECONDARY MOVEMENTS ARISING ON RUNNING VE- HICLES Zvonko Maar, Rome, Italy- Application September 27, 1947, Serial No. 776,442 In Switzerland August 26, 1947 4 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a mechanism adapted to utilize secondary movements caused by a moving vehicle, and more particularly to a mechanism which is adapted to transform automatically secondary movements froma moving vehicle, such as vibrations caused by the uneveness of the road or drive way, or oscillations produced by accelera- .tion or retardation of the vehicle, into a form of 'movemen'tsimparted to the vehicle, and means which are operably connected with said mass to utilize the energy received from said moving mass.

The features of this invention will be apparent from the following description in connection with .the accompanying drawing in which two preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation of a first embodiment of a-mechanism according to the invention comprising a pendulum suspended to freely oscillate to any side.

Fig. 2 is an isometric elevation of a second embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view to Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a partial lateral elevation of the mechanism in Fig. 2.

The mechanism shown in Fig. 1 comprises a universal pendulum suspended to freely oscillate to any side. This universal pendulum I includes a pendulum bob Ia carried by a rod 3 extending upwards through a bearing 4, wherein it is supported by means of a ball 2 fixed to the rod 3. A case 5 is arranged laterally near the upper end II) of rod 3 and encloses a ratchet wheel 6 of a control mechanism, which has an axle I which is pivotally mounted in case 5. A rod 8 carrying a click 9 which engages ratchet wheel 6 is horizontally arranged in the plane of ratchet wheel 6 to be endwise reciprocable under the action of a spring 8a. The end of rod 8 facing the upper end III of pendulum rod 3 is connected therewith by means of a chain II, so that oscillations of the pendulum will drive the ratchet wheel 6 by steps. The described arrangement utilizes oscillations of the pendulum I only in one direction. In order to utilize oscillations of the pendulum also in the opposite direction, case 5 provides a bracket I2 which carries an angle lever I3 having the outer end of one arm I4 cupone another.

shaped to engage therein the upper ball-shaped end of the pendulum rod 3, while the outer end of the other lever arm I5 is pivotally connected with a click I6 which engages with ratchet wheel 6. When pendulum I is oscillating in one way, it will move click 9 to rotate ratchet wheel 6, and in the other or opposite way, it will move click I6 to further rotate the ratchet wheel.

The second embodiment of the mechanism comprises, instead of a single universal pendulum suspended to freely swing to any side, one or several ordinary penduli each of which swinging in a separate plane angularly arranged round a shaft which is to be rotated by the combined result of the separate actions of the penduli, the effect thereof being thus the same as in the case of a universal pendulum.

The mechanism shown in Figs. 2 to 4 comprises three penduli I 9 each suspended from a separate horizontal axle 20 to swing in a vertical plane, the three penduli I9 being pivotally mounted on bearing supports 22 secured in a common case 2| around a vertical shaft I8 and their planes of oscillation forming equal angles, namely to However, these planes may form any angle to one another and the penduli may also be suspended to swing in planes whichare inclined with respect to the central shaft. Each pendulum I9 has formed at its upper end above axle 20 a lug 23 having operably secured thereto two clicks 24, 25 which engage ratchet wheels 26, 21 to rotate the same by steps when they swing to and fro together with the oscillating pendulum. Ratchet wheel 26 is secured on the hub 28 of a bevel wheel 29 which meshes with a bevel wheel 30 fixed on the central shaft I8 to the eifect that the intermittent rotation of ratchet wheel 26 is transmitted upon shaft I8.

Ratchet wheel 21 is integral with toothed wheel 3I and freely rotates on hub 28 of bevel wheel 29. Toothed wheel 3I drives a toothed wheel 33 over an intermediate wheel 32. Wheel 33 is secured to the hub of a bevel wheel 34 meshing with a bevel wheel 35, which is integral with bevel wheel 30 and therefore fixed on central shaft I8, whereby the intermittent rotation of ratchet wheel 26 will be transmitted upon shaft I8. Ratchet wheels 26, 21 have contrarily directed ratchet teeth, that consequently the oscillation of pendulum I9 in one direction will cause click 24 to rotate ratchet wheel 26 and the oscillation of pendulum I9 in the other direction will cause click 25 to rotate ratchet wheel 21 in opposite direction. As shaft I9 is to be driven in only one direction, rotation of ratchet wheel 21 is transmitted thereto by the intermediary of gearing 3|, 32, 33, 34. Bevel gear 34, 35 drives thus shaft IS in the same direction as bevel gear 29, 30, and consequently the full oscillations of pendulum I9 will be utilized to rotate shaft l8 in one and the same direction. For each of the three penduli I9 a similar device is provided to transform the pendulous oscillations into intermittent rotation and transmit the latter in the same direction upon central shaft 18.

A ratchet wheel 36 is secured on the lower end of shaft i8, which is engaged by two spring actuated clicks 31 tending to prevent shaft l8 from being rotated backwards due to the idle motion of the clicks 24, 25, respectively, when pendulum i9 is on its respective way back. Shaft l8 projects beyond case 2| and may serve to drive for instance a watch or like apparatus directly or through an intermediate'bevel gear.

Any number of penduli may be arranged in the above described manner around the vertical central shaft.

In the mechanism described the amplitude of the pendulum in either direction is utilized for driving the shaft. However, the amplitude in only one direction may be utilized if desired. In this case click 25, ratchet Wheel 21, and intermediate and transmission gear 3|, 32, 33, 34, 35 are omitted.

The energy recovered from secondary movements of a running vehicle by means of the pendulum driven mechanism may be transmitted upon a utilizing apparatus through mechanical, electric, electro-optic, hydraulic, or pneumatic means.

In a motor car, the pendulum mass may also be suspended from the steering wheel to additionally utilize movements of the steering wheel when the latter is manipulated. The energy recovering mechanism may be secured to any part of the carriage body, whereby transmission of recovered energy upon a utilizing apparatus may be performed through'mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic means.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

l. .A mechanism for utilizing secondary movements imparted to a vehicle in motion, such as vibrations caused by unevenness of the road and oscillations due to change of speed of such vehicle; comprising a housing having a wall and adapted to be mounted on said vehicle, a plurality of pendulum masses each adapted to swing back and forth and supported on said wall within said housing, a spindle centrally arranged with respect to said pendulum masses and passing through said housing, respective axle supporting said masses and arranged to extend angularly to each other and radially to said spindle at different levels, and respective transmission means on said axles and on said spindle and operatively connecting said pendulum masses with said spindle to thereby transfer said back-and-forth swinging movements of said pendulum masses to said spindle, said transmission means being shaped and arranged so as to rotate said spindle in one direction only.

2. A mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said spindle is provided with a ratchet wheel, and pawl means fixed to said wall of said housing and in engagement with said ratchet wheel to prevent turning of said spindle in undesired direction.

3. A mechanism accordingto claim 1, wherein three axles are arranged carrying said pendulum;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 29,609 Great Britain Apr. 27, 1911 257,250 Italy Feb. 20, 1928 142,790

Switzerland Dec. 16, 1930 

